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9. Migrants (un)welcome

This activity can be carried out in a classroom or in a museum.

Target group: High school students (age 15-19)

Duration: 90 minutes

Group size: One class – 20-32 people

MUCIT participants exploring the history and legacy of the archives at the Emanuel Ringelblum Jewish Historical Institute (ŻIH) in Warsaw, Poland.

Activity objective

 Students will:

  • be able to analyze different sources of information;
  • compare different sources and points of view;
  • draw conclusions based on the evidence;
  • learn to discuss controversial issues in a socially accepted manner.

Expected learning results

After completing this task students will:

  • develop critical thinking skills;
  • find arguments to support a thesis that contradicts their point of view;
  • understand that others may have an opposing point of view and support it with arguments;
  • discuss in a socially acceptable manner;
  • know how to evaluate evidence in support of a given thesis;
  • recognize real arguments from fake news or misinformation.

Description of the activity

How can we talk about the migrant crisis in Europe in a civilized way, using the power of argument instead of the arguments of force? One of the methods for discussing emotional controversial issues is the one called ‘Analyzing perspectives’. 

Present the thesis:

“Migrants are an opportunity for the EU society, and therefore we must do everything we can to attract as many people as possible to come to our country and give them the opportunity to settle here.”

Ask students who endorse this thesis to stand in one corner of the room and those who disagree with it – to stand in an opposite corner.

Explain to the group that during this activity, students will work on finding arguments to defend a point of view that is contrary to their own beliefs. The idea behind this task is to learn that someone with different views can think and come to specific conclusions by searching for relevant arguments.

Ask students to form pairs within their sub-groups and ask them to find arguments to defend the opposing viewpoint. They can use the Internet and/or the school library. You can also prepare some materials with different perspectives and leave them on the resource table. Distribute sheets of paper with a printed table, and the pairs fill in one part of the table.

Give them 10-15 minutes to complete the task. 

Ask students to form two groups – for and against the thesis. Make sure that they work on the perspective opposite to their own. Ask each group to gather all arguments and fill in one of the columns on a new handout. Ask them to write down as many arguments as possible. Give them 10 min to complete the task. 

Then groups present their arguments, one by one, in turns.

After the presentation of both groups’ work, ask the students to sit in a circle and lead a debriefing.

Arguments to support the thesis

  • first argument
  • second argument
  • etc.

Arguments to disprove the thesis

  • first argument
  • second argument
  • etc.

Reflection

  1. How does it feel to defend a point of view that is opposite to your own?
  2. After completing this task, do you think that people who have a point of view opposite to yours may have reasons for thinking that way? 
  3. Is it worth trying to understand those with whom we disagree? 
  4. Why is it worth doing or why not?  You can also ask participants to answer these questions in written form on the second page of the table they have filled out and ask students to read their reflections or parts of it aloud.

Tips for teachers/ educators

  1. Try to ensure that both groups have approximately the same number of participants.
  2. Analyzing perspectives refers to the process of examining different viewpoints or interpretations of a topic or situation. It involves considering various angles, assumptions, and biases that may influence how individuals understand and respond to a subject. This process is crucial for developing critical thinking skills, fostering empathy, and promoting a more comprehensive understanding of complex issues. More about this method can be found in Dimensions of Learning. Teachers Manual. 2 Editon.  Robert J. Marzano & Debra J. Pickering. Hawker Brownlow Education, 2006.

Required materials

  • Table for writing down arguments – the number of copies depends on the number of pairs in the group participating in the lesson/workshop
  • Table drawn on a flipchart or interactive whiteboard
  • Internet access
  • Students’ smartphones
  • Acces to school library (optional) or a resource table (optional)

Monika Koszyńska